Navre wrote:I think people mention the fingernail or hair comparison to differentiate between what is done to Parrots, and what is done to waterfowl of laying hens to keep them from flying off. Those birds have the end of the wing itself taken off, either after the last joint, or at the last joint. That's permanently disabling, and is not what is being done when we clip a Parrot.

I've done enough interviews to know that the writer, in trying to simplify what is being said, can totally change the meaning of what is being said.

Yes, there is clipping where you cut the wing feathers which will regrow, eventually - and there is pinioning where you cut off the first joint of the wing so they are permanently grounded (this is done to migrating birds that were raised by people so they would not take off, get lost and die - remember the movie based on a real life story "Flying Home"?). But, unfortunately, it was used on parrots, too (well, at least, I HOPE it's something of the past and it's no longer done) I have had several cockatiels that came to me pinioned.

And I do agree that they might be using the nail comparison to illustrate the fact that the procedure doesn't hurt but I still think that it's not a good comparison. It minimizes the practice to the point of disingenuity because clipping nails doesn't handicap anybody in any way and it has no health or emotional consequences while clipping a bird does.